Lucky prospector finds 177 oz gold nugget

[steve herschbach]

A gold nugget with an estimated value of more than $300,000 has been unearthed near Ballarat in Victoria's west by a prospector with a metal detector.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-17/lucky-prospector-strikes-huge-gold-nugget/4470016

Steve Herschbach

 

[au79]

WOW!! Now that is one lucky beginner! Now he has a huge challenge to do better than that! It gives me hope and encouragement. Thanks Steve!

 

[Jonathan Porter]

Steve I was planning to take you to such an area on your last visit but felt you would prefer to find the little ones instead

That is one monster nugget, theres one out there with my name on it too, I can feel it in my bones.

JP

 

[steve herschbach]

Well you know Jonathan there are export issues with something like that, and huge nuggets are a real pain to sell. Not really worth the hassle, but I do hope it is something you have to deal with at some point!

I am struck by how solid and worn the nugget is. Large ones are usually much rougher.

Steve Herschbach

 

[Jonathan Porter]

Yes, but what a delicious dilemma to deal with.

Yes the water worn nature of the nugget strikes me as well, kind of reminds me of some of the monster gold you've shown me from your home turf. I imagine Victoria had a very wet mountainous topography like Alaska at one stage in its far distant past? I have detected very water worn nuggets along side sharp and angular pieces in Victoria, just depends on the terrain I suppose and perhaps the rough gold being weathered out of a large water worn boulder perhaps? Thats the thing about gold, it is so inert the only thing that really happens to it once it becomes a nugget is physical abrasion, so for example the first piece that weathered out of the reef a kilometre or so up in the erosion profile could likely be sitting with nuggets only recently shed further down the vein.

JP

 

[Reno Chris]

Victoria has large, deep leads very similar to the tertiary river channels of California. Some of the larger nuggets (40+ ounces) I have seen from these deposits in California are also well worn by water travel. Probably this nugget spent eons of time in some ancient riverbed only to be buried over with Basalt and other rocks, then eventually eroded out to where the prospector could find it.

 

[MikeLab]

Wonder how many people detected that one and skipped over it? Imagine what that would feel like to find that. I think a lot of people would have a heart attack they get so excited.

 

[d1g1man]

I read in a news post that his detector cost $6000. That doesn't ring a bell, anyone know which model that might be? I'm just curious.

 

[Larry (IL)]

That's probably the Minelab GPX 5000 Gold Detector.

 

[steve herschbach]

n/t

 

[d1g1man]

Thank you! I will check it out on Utube.

 

[nickeltabs]

Here are some more links I found

A WHOPPING 5.5kg gold nugget worth up to $300,000 has been found in bush near Ballarat
http://www.news.com.au/national/prospector-strikes-55kg-gold-nugget-in-ballarat-victoria/story-fndo4cq1-1226555879738

Some of Australia's biggest gold nuggets
http://www.news.com.au/national/some-of-australias-biggest-gold-nuggets/story-fncynjr2-1226556327119

 

[iron bark]

Hi good to see a nice piece like that .A gpx 5000 is $6400 to $6800 here in AUS you have to get the best deal you can, we cannot under stand why they are cheaper in the U.S.A. than here

 

[Smigo]

Ha, found by a novice huh? How about found by the guy that was holding it on his own claim near Ballarat using his earth moving equipment! Just like the Big Specie he showed found by another phantom prospector about a year ago, again which was actually himself. He has two gun claims near Ballarat and they were both his own nuggets which is why both times they were shown by him. Just like last time with the specie, you will see very soon a story submitted, by himself again, in the Aussie GG&T magazine. Totally fabricated story.

 

[steve herschbach]

That would be interesting. Makes for an even more intriguing story.

 

[Smigo]

One mate asked why would someone do that. 1 Makes the story for a potential buyer more alluring than telling them it was dozed up. 2 Gets heaps of exposure for his gold buying/selling shop. 3 Gets a sweet kickback from M/lab by mentioning them every second sentence in the interveiws. If a buyer heard it was found, like in the made up story, its got a nice tale to it, makes it more attractive and interesting. But if it was offered as found at 20 foot deep on a claim and unearthed by a dozer or excavator, well whats the biggie there? If people heard it was found with a detector behind a dozer it wont flick any switches and all they associate it with is earth moving gear. But if its by a novice and found in a popular spot but missed and only found with the new or latest 5000, ca,ching $$$$$$$$$$$$ Sales go ganbusters. They all think "wow, I can do that!" And, if the truth was told people watching the interveiws and reading the story would say "ahh, he's just trying to drum up business for his shop" But make up a tall tale and you be the man who gets the money for the finder and you become the "GO TO GUY FOR GOLD" Brilliant sceme, poorly executed as too many know about his A1 claims and know him all too well. You watch, a story will come out submitted by himself, again.
Wouldnt you be spewing if you were the buyer and found out the truth! Thats even if he sold it that is.

 

[Ken~Digs]

I Hear ya on the Integrity Part (or Lack of) but I'd be Yellin' . . . Yahoooooooooo , like an Old Miner if I Kubota'd or Bobcatted up even a 15oz'r ---------- : -)

 

[Smigo]

Id be doing the bush jig if I found a 15 ouncer as well as the Yahooooo. I almost do it now with just 1/4 ouncers these days, with the gold getting harder to find. Like today, I said a loud "yes" when I found 2 half grammers towards the end of what almost looked like a fruitless session.

 

[Smigo]

Ha ha, just like clockwork and like I said. The April edition of Aussie Gold Gen and Treasure has an article in it submitted by the bloke in the news story, the finder of it. The start of it is a full on advert for his shop and gold buying business. What a joke and what a con. Check out a preview of it on the GG&T website. Looks more like an add

 

[nickeltabs]

Ya - I think thats called mining for gold on the internet lol